Agreed: The Committee indicated it was content, on a without prejudice basis, for the Department to make the Statutory Rule.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should seek clarification from the Department in respect of the use of the qualifying week to establish eligibility for the payment and the exclusion of claimants who were receiving in-patient hospital care throughout the qualifying week.

7. Saving Gateway Accounts Bill – Legislative Consent Motion.

John O’Neill, an official from the Department for Social Development joined the meeting at 12.34pm to brief the Committee on a Legislative Consent Motion to allow the provisions of the Saving Gateway Accounts Bill to be extended to Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee indicated it was content, on a without prejudice basis, to support the Legislative Consent Motion to allow the provisions of the Saving Gateway Accounts Bill to be extended to Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should seek further information from the Department in respect of the pilot studies carried out in Great Britain and the limits on the amount of money that can be saved in the Saving Gateway Accounts.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister in order to obtain further information in respect of the impact on local credit unions of the extension of the provisions of the Saving Gateway Accounts Bill to Northern Ireland.

Mr Hilditch rejoined the meeting at 12.40pm.

The Chairperson thanked the official for attending.

The official left the meeting at 12.43pm

8. Correspondence

Ministerial:

8.1 The Committee considered a letter updating the Committee on a recent meeting with NICVA in relation to the Compact between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector.

8.3 The Committee considered a letter updating Members on decision-making accuracy within the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Division.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to receive further briefings on the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Division.

8.4 The Committee noted correspondence on the Department for Work and Pensions White Paper on Welfare Reform.

8.5 The Committee noted correspondence on funding of some projects in Neighbourhood Renewal Areas.

Departmental:

8.6 The Committee considered correspondence on the Sustainable Development Strategy.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a further briefing from the Department on Community Safety Partnerships.

Other:

8.7 The Committee considered details on the Northern Ireland Governance conference on Friday 20 March 2009.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that Ms Lo would attend the conference.

8.8 The Committee considered details on the Tackling Alcohol Related Anti-Social Behaviour Conference on Thursday 23 April 2009.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider this conference at the Committee meeting of 5 March 2009.

8.9 The Committee noted a memo from the Committee for Education attaching a holding reply from the Minister of Education.

8.10 The Committee noted correspondence from NIPSA regarding the Strategic Business Review.

8.11 The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee on Procedures on its Inquiry into Legislative Consent.

Agreed: The Clerk was directed to respond to the Clerk of the Committee on Procedures.

8.12 The Committee noted a letter from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister relating to the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No.2) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

8.13 The Committee considered a letter from the Head of Outreach on the BIPA Committee D Report in its Inquiry into “The Integration of recently arrived migrants to Northern Ireland, Ireland and Wales”

Agreed: The Committee agreed that individual parties would respond to this letter and that a response from the Committee was not to be made.

8.14 The Committee considered a letter from DCI Energy Control Ltd relating to the Warm Homes Scheme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to return to this issue at the meeting of 5 March 2009.

8.15 The Committee noted correspondence from the Save the Children relating to Fuel Poverty.

9. Forward Work Programme

The Clerk outlined future items of business for the Committee as set out in the forward work programme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a briefing from the Bill Office on legislative procedures.

10. Any other business

None.

11. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 5 March 2009 at 11am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.57pm.

Mr David Simpson MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Social Development
Thursday, 5 March 2009.